Salt Art

May 15 2012

Salt Art

Published by me at 12:23 am under 2-3 yrs,activities,craft,photo log

This is our latest artwork. Salt Art. Saw it here, and here and thought it a great activity with my girl who has recently decided she really wants to be kept busy.

“Mama… let’s make something.”

“Mama… what are we going to make today?”

“Mama… what is Yahn going to make?”

I think that’s a big hint to mommy that she’s bored. So Mommy has been busy surfing around for worksheets and craft ideas to keep the energizer bunny occupied. Most are quickies that are fast, easy and *cough cough* not very presentable so those are shoved away from this online diary. Others like our salt art piece can get some limelight.

Step 1: Squeeze glue all over the paper… Free play. Easy and fun.

Step 2: Spread salt over the glue… and then shake off the excess. *Note* All these were done in a huge container so I didnt’ have to sweep runaway salt after this.

And fantastic ~~waste~~ use of salt cos I seldom add salt in my cooking, so this small pot of salt has been in my shelf for at least a full year and in no sign of finishing.

Step 3: Add water colours onto the salt, and watch the colours “run”.

I used ice-cube trays to mix my water colors (leftover from her toddler days after I stopped ice-cube-freezing broccoli / carrots / meat for her first foods)… and I used disposable eye-drops to “pipette” the colours cos… well, no point buying several pipettes for just one activity when i have tons of about-to-expire disposable eye-drops at home right?

We sucked up the water colours into each eye drop, and she would squeeze them out gently onto the salted-glue-paper. And I thought this was also much better cos it limited the quantity of water colour at each squeeze so we wouldn’t go overboard and flood the whole paper.

And this was the immediate product after we dripped the colours onto the salt. Quite nice right? My only regret was I used drawing paper which turned out to be too thin for this watery activity. Maybe thicker, waterproof paper next time?

But after the whole paper dried, it does look really nice with all the coloured salt crystals.

And again, someone was so proud of her work that when Daddy came home that day, she carried the whole artwork (still in the container) and shouted, “Look Papa, my picture!”

“Yes baby… and it’s a really pretty picture. ”